Gratitude Journal

At a Glance:

Grades:	4, 5, 6, 7
Subject:	SEL (Social-Emotional Learning)
Topic:	Gratitude
Lesson Length:	20 - 30 mins

Standards / Framework:

Students will create a comic journal documenting what they’re grateful for.

Understand the practice and science of gratitude and why it’s important for mental and emotional health.

Have students imagine something or someone they’re truly grateful for.
- What do they see?
- What do they feel?
Discuss what they envisioned and the emotions they experienced. For example, feeling warmth, feeling safe, feeling less tense or feeling happy.
Explain that gratitude isn’t just saying “thank you."
Practicing daily gratitude has been scientifically proven to have long-lasting effects on the body and especially the brain. The more you practice the more positive your perspective becomes. (Greater Good Magazine, Berkeley.edu).

Each comic entry should include:
- A date.
- A description of a person, thing, or event they are thankful for.
- Characters, outfits and backgrounds that help illustrate their gratitude.

Prompts:
- Who unconditionally supports you in your life? Thank them and tell them why they are so special to you in a comic.
- What is a place you are grateful to have visited or get to be in often? Describe why you like it in your comic.
- What talents are you grateful? Show your avatar being grateful for those talents.
- What is one memory you are grateful to have? Show that memory and why you are grateful for it.

Have students create one or more entries each week in a journal of gratitude comic.
Reflection Questions:
- How has routinely practicing gratitude changed you emotionally? Mentally?
- Have you practiced gratitude in different ways, e.g., sent a thank you letter, called someone to thank them, etc.

Comic to print or display: Comic.
Suggested Reading:
- Under the Lemon Moon by Edith Hope. (Grades 4-5)
- Thanks A Million by Nikki Grimes. (Grades 4-5)
- I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka & Martin Ganda. (Grades 6-7)